Penguins News

GUENTZEL AND SEGALLA SELECTED BY PITTSBURGH

Guentzel and Segalla Selected by PittsburghPenguins select three forwards, two d-men with remaining picks

The Pittsburgh Penguins continued adding prospecs in the 2013 NHL Draft, selecting center Jake Guentzel (77th overall) in the third round and defenseman Ryan Segalla in round four (119th overall).

Guentzel became the first forward chosen by the Penguins in this year's draft. The 18-year old is coming off his first season in the United States Hockey League, skating with the Sioux City Musketeers. Guentzel led the Musketeers with 73 points (29g-44a) in 60 games and finished sixth in the league in scoring to earn USHL Rookie of the Year honors. Though he is listed at 5' 9" and 157 lbs, Guentzel's speed and creativity helped him along to a fantastic first year that included a 21-game point streak to finish the season.

"I'm more of a playing-making forward," Guentzel stated. " I use my hockey sense to set up my teammates and I like to score. At the end of the year, I felt like everything was clicking for us. For me, it worked out well with the scoring streak. I just had a lot of confidence and it helped me out."

Though he is now one of the newest members of the Penguins organization, Guenztel already enjoyed ties to the team. The younger Guentzel has met Pittsburgh defenseman Paul Martin thanks for his is dad, Mike Guentzel, who is the associate coach at the University of Minnesota and lists the former Gopher Paul Martin as one of his favorite players.

Guentzel is committed to play at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, where Penguins 2011-draft pick Josh Archibald currently plays and Pittsburgh forward Jayson Megna spent one season.

After claiming a state championship with Salisbury Prep (CT) this past season, Segalla was the first blueliner taken by Pittsburgh. Hailing from Greenwich, Conn., Segalla recorded 18 points in 28 games (10g-8a) during 2012-13.

"I take pride in my own zone and getting the puck up to the forwards so they can do their thing," said Segalla. "I've been watching a lot of McDonough lately. He's a good two way defenseman and I try model my game after him.

The 6' 1", 184 lb defenseman will continue his playing career in the Constitution State as he begins classes at the University of Connecticut in two weeks.

With their remaining picks in the 2013 NHL Draft, Pittsburgh made the following selections: